The league's most potent power
play looked anything but dominant on Thursday night. Generating few scoring
chances, even with 5 chances on the mad-advantage, the Sharks proved that their
special teams play is beatable. The visiting New York Rangers took full
advantage of San Jose's anemic offense to beat the Sharks 3-1 at HP Pavilion.

To add to the Sharks woes, the 5-on-5 continued to struggle, having scored only
6 even-strength goals in the team's last six games. What started as a high
energy game, with great tempo, turned into a frustrating night for the host
Sharks.

Kyle McLaren would score the only goal for San Jose late in the 3rd period.
McLaren was the noticeable bright spot for the Sharks who failed to extend
their two-game winning streak.

McLaren woke the Sharks bench up midway through the 1st period, with a bone
jarring hip-check on Rangers center Petr Prucha. The hit sent Prucha crumpled
at the Sharks blueline, but it seemed to spark both teams into a faster paced
contest for the remainder of the period.

That pace would burn the Sharks at the end of the period, when Joe Thornton
made an ill advised drop pass at the end of a shift as time was winding down.
Thornton's line had extended its stay on the ice a one rush too many, and got
caught too far in the Rangers zone after Brendan Shanahan picked up Thornton's
mistake and chipped it up ice to Prucha.

Cullen took the relay from Prucha then steamed up ice, before depositing a
breakaway goal with 0.7 seconds remaining in the period.

From that point, every bounce seemed to go New York's way. Sharks goaltender
Evgeni Nabokov could attest after stoning Martin Straka with a beautiful save
four minutes into the middle period. Nabokov had to stretch to make the
initial save, but got caught on the follow up after falling to the ice.

Straka simply tried to put the puck out in front of the net from a sever angle
along the goal line, but the puck caught Nabokov's pad and redirected into the
net.

The Sharks could muster little offense until McLaren broke up Kevin Weekes
shutout bid with a goal at 17:36 of the 3rd period on a 40-foot shot from the
left wing boards.

The goal gave the Sharks a chance to pull Nabokov with two minutes left in
regulation, but Shanahan iced the game with a bank shot off the side boards
that skittered the length of the ice, into the Sharks net.

What did you think of
this article? Post your comments on the
Feeder
Forums

What did you
think of this game? Post your comments on the
Feeder
Forums

Privacy Statement | Contact Us |
AdvertiseCopyright 2006 TheFeeder.com. All rights reserved.
This website is an unofficial and independently operated source of
newsand information not affiliated with any team, or
league.